Soleil
by GrandNinjaMasterRen
Summary: A somewhat darker Robin joins the Team awhile after its conception, throwing the dynamic out of whack again, but the new kid's got a secret he's not willing to share. Add that to the 'mole' problem, and the Team might not see another year. Can they figure out how to survive each other, while trying to save the world in the process?
1. Chapter 1

"Uncle J'onn said that a new sidekick will be joining the team." M'gann said happily.

"It's probably Roy." Wally put in through a mouthful of food. Artemis didn't share his thoughts.

"I bet it's Zatanna." She said.

"We may not already know this new member," Kaldur said reasonably. Conner just grunted in agreement.

Just then the zeta tubes fired up. A moment of eager silence passed. No announcement was made, but a small boy decked out in bright colours swaggered off the platform.

"Who are you‽" Superboy demanded. The boy looked simultaneously disgusted and affronted.

"Who am I? Who are you supposed to be? Emo Superman?" the boy said mockingly.

Superboy charged him. The boy flipped over Superboy's head and landed in Kid Flash's lap. The boy moved with fluid motions to engage Aqualad and Ms. Martian. With a flick of his wrist, the boy threw three tiny objects that flew true to their marks: Superboy's back, Ms. Martian's arm, Artemis's quiver. The capsules secreted a substance that quickly hardened, rendering the three heroes immobile. The boy cuffed Kid Flash and Aqualad together with four pairs of handcuffs, and then sat down at the bar stool that Kid Flash had occupied only moments ago, with a pair of Kid Flash's granola bars and inspecting one of Aqualad's water bearers.

" 'ow do these things work?" the boy mused to himself, taking a bite of one of the energy bars.

The zeta tube fired up again, this time announcing Batman. The Dark Knight strode purposefully forward.

"Robin." He growled. The boy tore his eyes away from the Atlantean weapon.

"Hey, Boss." The boy, Robin, said with a smile.

"Return Aqualad's water bearer and release them. I will not tolerate you stealing from your teammates." Batman said sternly.

"Teammates?" Robin sputtered,"Them‽ They're untrained _children_!" Batman said nothing, just glared at the boy.

"My word is _law_. You _will_ be on this team. That is _final_." Batman walked back to the zeta platform with a flourish of his cape. Robin tossed the water bearer at Kaldur's head, then three little capsules to dissolve the muck on Conner, Artemis, and M'gann, and uncuffed Wally and Kaldur. Robin slid back onto the bar stool.

"Can I have my energy bar back?" Wally asked. Robin glared at him.

"No." he said flatly, slipping the granola bar into his looked around at the tense room.

"Perhaps we should share something about ourselves, to get to know our new teammate." He said diplomatically.

Robin raised an eyebrow, sliding a pack of cigarettes from his belt and putting one in his mouth. Artemis put her hands on her hips.

"You're too young to smoke!" she declared.

"Do I look like I care?" Robin asked flatly, lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag.

"Look, 'un. I don't know you. I don't want to know you. I 'on't care what you think of me. We don't have to like 'ch other, we just have to work toget'er. So, just stay out of my way." Robin said. He jumped off the barstool, landed lightly on his toes, and sauntered to the couch. He propped his feet up on the armrest and snagged the remote. Robin flipped the tv over to the news, some Gotham channel saying something about Bruce Wayne adopting a couple of kids. Robin took another drag on the cigarette.

"So," he said, expelling smoke from his mouth, "What kinda shit do you guys even _do_? Bats said it's a covert ops team, but you guys are about as stealthy as a herd of water buffalo."

"Oh? Like you're a master of stealth? You're dressed like a traffic light!" Artemis said snippily.

"You regularly blow up wherever you're fighting. My fashion choices are stealthy by comparison." Robin defended.

"Is Batman your father?" M'gann asked suddenly. Robin scowled.

"No." He replied icily. His voice clipped the word short. Wally and Kaldur exchanged a glance.

"How did you meet Batman?" Kaldur asked. Robin shrugged

"Stole the tires off his car." Robin snubbed out his cigarette and tossed the butt at Wally.

"You stole the tires off the _Batmobile_ ‽" Artemis was scandalized. Robin smiled smugly.

"Yeah. We got three of 'em 'n then we got caught coming back for the fourth. I wanted to jack the 'ole thing, but J-" Robin cut himself off.

"Is something burning?" Conner asked into the silence. M'gann's eyes widened.

"My cookies!" she cried, dashing off to the kitchen. Robin sat up, peeking over the back of the couch to watch her go.

* * *

Batman sat stoically at the table, a holo-screen displaying the security camera feed from Mount Justice before him. His hands were folded in front of his mouth as he watched Robin snatch a burnt cookie from Kaldur's hand as the Atlantean went to take a bite.

"Knowing you, you're probably regretting just about every decision that's led you to this moment." Green Arrow said, coming up from behind Batman and sitting on the table next to him, "How's he doing?"

"Robin has been less than subtle about his dislike of his teammates and I fear, that, coupled with Aqualad's 'mole' revelation, it will tear this team apart." Batman confessed. Green Arrow looked thoughtful.

"It took a few missions for the team to hit their stride. Robin will warm up to them. Even if he doesn't there's still B-" Batman held up a hand, silencing Green Arrow. He turned up the volume on the holo-screen.

"Don' see why I gotta listen to Ariel anyways," Robin was saying. The rest of the team had half-surrounded him, but Robin was cool-headed in the face of their anger.

"It is imperative, as teammates, that we work together." Kaldur said, composed, but with rising ire.

"Asterous! You guys can teamwork and I go do my own thing . _I_ don't need a bunch 'a pansy ass bi-"

"Language!" Artemis snapped. Robin glared at her.

"You don't think we should separate them?" Green Arrow asked. Batman considered it.

"No. They need to work out their differences on their own." Both Leaguers returned their attention to the holo-screen. The argument had escalated. Conner had hand around Robin's throat, pinning the smaller boy against the wall. Robin's feet kicked out weakly as he gasped for breath. Green Arrow glanced between the Dark Knight and the video feed.

"Oh, my God, Bruce!" He shouted, jumping off the table and running towards the Watchtower's zeta platform.


	2. Chapter 2

Robin squirmed as Superboy's fingers closed around his throat, nearly crushing his windpipe. Robin laughed mockingly. It came out as wheezing. Robin gasped and sputtered, but Superboy was unyielding.

"Conner!" M'gann cried. Superboy growled. Kaldur started forward, but changed his mind and stood still. Artemis hadn't moved at all. She stood there, glassy-eyed staring at a spot on the wall just to the left of Robin, her hand clenched around Wally's arm in a vice grip. Wally looked frantically around, as though praying for someone to show up and stop what was happening.

"Say that again, I dare you." The clone raged at his captive. Robin coughed a little, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"You're a cow'rdly, worthless object." Robin choked out. Superboy opened his mouth to respond once more, tightening his fingers around the brat's throat, but the zeta beam firing up and the announcement cut him off.

"Recognized: Green Arrow, Zero Eight" The team froze, caught in the act. Green Arrow ran over to them. Green Arrow grabbed Superboy's arm, the one that was holding Robin.

"The _hell_ do you think you're doing, Superboy‽" Green Arrow shouted, "Let the kid go!" Glaring daggers at the Leaguer, Conner dropped Robin to the ground. The boy collapsed, coughing up blood and massaging his throat.

"He called me-" Conner began. The rest of the team backed away as Green Arrow loomed over them. He tightened his hold on Conner's wrist.

"You were _killing_ him!"

"I wasn't going to-" Conner protested. Green Arrow cut him off again.

"You were _already_ doing it! You were way past 'going to, not going to'!" Robin coughed roughly, spat up blood and stood, one hand on the wall for balance.

"Damn. I bit my lip." Robin said in a thick, hoarse voice. He spat out another clot of blood.

"And you," Green Arrow said turning to Robin, "Why were you provoking him?" Robin smirked grimly.

"Boss said the clone 'ad a temper, said for me t' test my teammates. Enemy won't play nice, un?" Robin leaned back against the wall, pulling out his carton of cigarettes. His hands shook slightly as he pulled one out.

"I'll a'mit, it was a bit disappointing how easy i' was to get 'im to snap," Robin turned his head to focus on Kaldur, "You, you're the leader, ain't you? You shoulda call'd 'im off. You coulda called him off. What the 'ell kinda chain a' command do you got?"

"What chain?" M'gann said, "Kaldur's in charge." Robin scoffed, slipping the carton of cigarettes back into his belt and pulling out his lighter. After lighting his cigarette, and taking a drag, he crossed his arms.

"Like children playing hero." Robin muttered mutinously. Robin shook his head as he strode to the zeta tubes, fed up with his new team.

"Recognized: Robin, Bee Zero One" the computer stated. The team looked at each other, unsure of what to do now. Superboy had attacked one of their teammates. Artemis crossed her arms, uncomfortable with the silence, and the look her mentor was giving them. Wally ran his hand through his hair.

"So," He said, speaking into the icy silence, "What now?"

* * *

Robin re-materialized deep underground. The squeaking of rats and the high-pitched chirps of the titular bats met his ears. Robin grinned as he made his way deeper into the cave. The lighting became harsher, more industrial as he went on. He walked slowly, idly, all the while finishing his cigarette to soothe his frayed nerves. He needed to be collected, calm, in control.

Finally Robin stood in the center of the Batcave. He slunk stealthily over to the chair in front of the Batcomputer, perked up on his tiptoes and reached down to tug on one of the pointed bat ears, but before his hand could even brush the tip of the cowl…

"Hello, Robin." Batman deadpanned. Robin pouted.

"Hey, Boss." Robin perched on the armrest of the chair. Batman moved slightly and Robin fell backwards into the Dark Knight's lap. Robin blinked up at his mentor, who merely gave off the impression of a raised eyebrow. Robin smiled easily, squirming around slightly to make himself more comfortable.

"How's J-"

"Sulking. He failed his multiplication test and, so he's grounded for the next week. How's your throat?" Robin tugged his collar down to display the newly forming bruises.

"Not bad, all things considered. I mean for a guy with super strength, he sure is wimpy. I've had better love-taps from the Condiment King." Robin chuckled softly at his own wit.

"I'm sorry. If I had known how he'd react…" Batman said, trailing off. His fingers lightly caressed the bruises on his protege's neck. The Dark Knight regret that he wasn't able to protect his bird, but, ultimately, he knew that Robin would deny needing the help.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. If I'd actually though' he mighta killed me, I woulda pulled my Kryptonite on 'im." Robin said, falsely bright. Batman was unimpressed, staring down on the boy in his lap impassively. Robin stared back, just as unruffled as his mentor.

"Be that as it may, _you_ are going to have to explain the fingerprint bruises on your neck to J-" Robin rolled out of Batman's lap, popped up to standing, and snarled.

"He _doesn't_ 'ave ta know!"

He's bound to figure it out sooner or later."

"You're not going to tell him, right?" Batman hesitated then grunted an affirmative. Satisfied, Robin turned his attention to the screen in front of them.

"What's on the agenda for tonight, Boss?" Batman narrowed his eyes.

"For me? Patrol and a stakeout." Robin looked excited.

"For you? Homework and bed. Tomorrow you'll have to go back to the cave and sort out the 'Superboy' problem." Robin's face fell. He walked to the stairs.

"G'night, Boss. Don't die too much."

"J-"

"You're not going to acknowledge my joke?" Robin asked vaguely disappointed. Batman grunted in response.

"He wants you to help him study for his multiplication retest tomorrow."

With a bright laugh, Robin dashed up the stairs.


End file.
